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LA's Night Stalker: Death by Cancer, Not Gas Chamber
7 Jun
Summary
- Ramirez died in prison before execution, aged 53.
- Blood cancer complications caused the serial killer's death.
- His crimes terrorized Los Angeles from 1984 to 1985.
Richard Ramirez, infamously known as the "Night Stalker," died on June 7, 2013, at the age of 53. He passed away at Marin General Hospital while awaiting execution for his heinous crimes.
Ramirez's reign of terror spanned from April 1984 to August 1985 in the Los Angeles area, during which he murdered at least 13 people and committed numerous other violent acts. His capture on August 31, 1985, came after an attempted car theft, where an angry mob apprehended him before police arrived.
Convicted in 1989 on 43 counts, including murder and sexual assault, Ramirez received 13 death sentences. However, he died from complications of B-cell lymphoma, a form of blood cancer, and also suffered from chronic substance abuse and hepatitis C.
Despite his conviction and sentence, Ramirez never expressed remorse, famously stating "Death comes with the territory" at his sentencing. Public reaction to his death was mixed, with many victims' families expressing disappointment that he did not face execution, while law enforcement saw it as the end of a dark chapter.
